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>> and now "bbc newsnight." >> british planes help patrol the skies over libya and the war with gaddafi. we look at what britain did on the ground. our investigations revealed that britain did have a boots on the ground in libya, but details of who they were and what roles they were meant to play. >> this man tells how six servants not secret service agents played a call on him while he was being held -- this man tells how secret service agents paid a call on him while he was being held. the use of raf aircraft was very

public. the fighting on the ground was said to be done by libyans. we have learned that british soldiers were on the ground along side the anti gaddafi forces. >> britain's secret war involved -- evolved in fits and starts, but it is believed that it helped the revolutionaries to seize the country and capture kernel gaddafi. >> colonel gaddafi said he would hunt you down like rats, but you showed the courage of lions and we salute your courage. [applause] >> at that did involve deploying the saf on the ground to help.

the tale of how they got there was not simple. the libyan revolution started in february of last year. very quickly, the libyan armed forces split. the british government soon decided to send a rescue mission to the dozens of southern libya which involved raf aircraft and a couple of dozen marines. the british government shared the mission but not the commandos that were there. they amounted to three flights to take 100 grateful oil workers, 20 of them british, from libya to malta. >> when we got on the plane, two locals tried to rip the tires.

the special forces challenged them to stop. fortunately, somebody brought these guys down and took them back. >> in the footage of the taxing plane, there was footage of a special operations helicopter awaiting its mission. the government decided to back the national transitional council, or the ntc, that worked for the overthrow of gaddafi. >> this is an illegitimate regime that has lost the consensus of its people. >> the next phase involves a highly sensitive unit of british special forces made up jointly sbf.e saf ansd they operate closely with mi-6.

six members flew to a base near benghazi. they were going to meet rebel leaders. why do it that way when there was a british frigate sitting in a harbor nearby? apparently,mi-6 wanted to avoid going year and a symbol of british power. >> a british diplomatic team detained by rebels have been released. >> despite carrying everything needed for a covert mission, the british had been kidnapped by armed local farmers. the squadron had come out on stopped almost immediately and the british ambassador was left to plead with the ntc to release them. >> i hope to ask if you might be able to intervene to help us clear up this misunderstanding and if there is anything we can do to explain who they are.

>> after this public embarrassment, a british special forces were closed out of the picture for months, we have been told. the visible commitment of planes and ships is growing. a couple of weeks later, france, the u.s., and britain started bombing gaddafi's forces and the stakes were raised again for the camera and government. it was important to send a team to benghazi. -- the stakes were raised for david cameron's government. intelligence people were actively working in benghazi to build capacity, a defense ministry, and a command structure. they operated in benghazi, misrata. they were unarmed. their main role was to get some libyan units working to some sort of plan to save them being hit on acid by nato.

-- hit by accident by nato. the poor record of these members led british officers to argue for people able to raise their performance. the u.n. resolution that authorized nato bombing specifically prohibited ground troops anywhere in libya. what about special forces we have learned that the national security council shortly after the bombings started, tasks military chiefs to look at the feasibility of a train and equip people to the caribbean rebels. -- train and equip the libyan rebels. >> we are very clear about the united nations resolution. they forbid any occupation,

foreign occupation of any part of libya and we will absolutely stick to that. >> the road to sending british special forces back into libya was throughout qatar. the emirates had stake in -- had taken a strong stance against gaddafi from the outset. this led to a joint mission being established. special forces from all three countries would be sent to libya to assist with training as well as coordinating their command and the nato air strikes. the french would go to the west, the british to the east. by august, are around 20 men from the squadron were operating in small teams in places like misrata, as well as a training base in southern libya. the air strikes have gone on for months and many had predicted that doing it from the skies alone might not work. >> it had become a much more

difficult fight, we had more difficult targets. as i have observed in recent days, essentially, it is very much stalemate in the vicinity of brega. >> within days of the team's moving into action, the ntc was moving into tripoli. the misrata units that were being helped by the british were soon forcing their way into gaddafi's hometown of search -- of sirte. france and qatar did send weapons, including antitank missiles like these. as the revolutionaries fought, a nato air strikes were pivotal.

decor coordinated by the british including men on the ground. -- they were coordinated by the british. were they vital in the final takedown of gaddafi? within weeks of gaddafi's death, the special forces presence was being brought down. the architects of a joint u.k.- french, qatar operation in that they gave operation to the ground forces. >> integrating the jordanians and moroccans in the operation. without them and the leadership, especially the huge understand and they brought to the campaign, it is unlikely that the militias could have successfully acted as the land elements. >> the role of special forces

and mi-6 in this process is still not publicly knowledge. it is still important all the same and it extended the degree of the british role in the revolution to a far greater extent than public statements by the government has suggested. >> in a moment, two people who spend some time in the studio during the war and indeed libya during and after. this is significant differently from what we're told, isn't it? >> i think it is. we heard william hague earlier on talking about the u.k. cost desire to stay within the terms of the resolution. staye uk's desire to within the terms of the resolution. lawyers were very skeptical it could be done. eventually, it was done. finally, these troops that went

in, the two dozen or so, where armed, i am so. the earlier missions, they were mentoring and they went in plain clothes. >> how significant a contribution was it? >> it is easy to argue it both ways. a lot of people would say after the fall of tripoli, those gangs of men in their pickup trucks and heavy machine guns were a pretty wild, uncoordinated and undisciplined lot. they had achieved their objectives and i think it was important that if you like, they wanted to bank from the political influence that came from helping them achieve their objectives. they claim that hundreds of qatari troops were involved. the french wanted to be known that they aren't the -- armed the ntc at some point.

they hoped to get influence in the new libya. >> dto what extent do you think that this is tainted by this discovery? >> this is absolutely tainted. the report is fascinating but not in the least bit surprising. the discussion should not be just about military intervention but illegal military intervention. the use of british special forces in libya shows that the british completely ignored the united nations resolution. in many ways, not just by sending special forces on the ground but they sent arms to the rebels. they equipped them with communications and the breach of 1973 resulted in libyans dying. >> do you think it was a breach in the resolution? >> no, i don't think it was breached. it was about occupation on the

ground. >> that is exactly what it says. >> i disagree. what it absolutely does not authorize is elite foreign troops interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign arab country. let's not forget that. thousands of people died in libya in spite of western intervention. the libya campaign was all about ousting an arab regime which had fallen out with the west and just a few years after dealing with the west. >> you don't think that he was a tired? >> of course he was a tyrant. -- you don't think that he was a tyrant? >> of course, he was a tyrant. >> were you in favor of the air strikes? >> i was in favor of a military intervention to avoid a bloodbath in benghazi. what i disagree is the form and

shape of this military intervention. also, the legal intervention when it is fair and transparent. illegal intervention is morally wrong. >> i think that the other thing that is pushing this, -- >> it doesn't matter about how big or small this was, we were misled about it. public claims were made that there were not british soldiers there and there were. >> they were talking about large occupation forces. britain has intelligence agencies. we have special forces. we did it as we know in afghanistan. we did it on a small scale in libya. we did it in a cautious way. i'm not people, no arming of guerrillas. >> no garmin of levels? -- no arming of rebels? they are responsible for breaching the u.n. resolution.

you are absolutely irresponsible. the u.n. resolutions are designed for a specific purpose, to intervene when there is a specific threat in real time. that was the case in benghazi. what it does not authorize is to settle scores. >> what is this talk about settling scores? >> britain -- one day, britain was serving gaddafi's enemies on a plate for torture. >> we will be talking about that later. settling of scores? >> britain was serving gaddafi's enemies on a plate to him for torture. then, they sent in troops to support them and lead them to victory. >> did this change the nature of the conflict?

it was inconceivable that of britain, france, and those that supported them would allow this to be anything than what they sought. >> i think that britain should be congratulated for being a threat, for not arming the rebels. i think in the end, it was successful. one of the ways in which we had questions are sometimes suggestions that the military thought that their hands were tied too much. in this case it is correct. vietnam started off with a few advisers and then ended up with half a million troops. >> any kind of commitment would have been fine as long as it was limited and covert? >> i think anything was fine provided that we were within the resolution, not committing atrocities. i think that we got the balance

right. >> doesn't transparency matter? >> transparency matters enormously but i think that a nation should have a secret service, should have special forces, and is not obliged to reveal on television everything is doing. -- everything it is doing. >> do you think that the end justifies the means? >> not at all. as i said, it was very important to intervene military, to stop the fear of a bloodbath in benghazi. once it was a cheap, it was morally wrong to lead a faction of the civilian population to victory. -- once it was achieved, it was morally wrong to lead a faction of the civilian population. >> there are accusations that members of the government would have colluded in torture. the police are examining allegations that officials

assisted in the rendition of men into libya where they were tortured. one of those men is abdel hakim belhadj, the commander who took tripoli that spent six years in prison after he claims that the british how to capture him. i met him in tripoli and i asked him what he would like to but government to do. -- what he would like the british government to do. >> first of all, we would like the british government to apologize for what they did against us and the mistakes made against us, officially from the intelligence services. to apologize for the hideous crimes committed against us. we would like those behind this crime to be brought before justice and to be put on trial. >> can you be certain that the british people that you saw when

you were in prison knew that you were being tortured? >> the document found at the intelligence services headquarters clearly points to the implication of the british intelligence services and exposes their actions, the crimes against myself, my family. >> when you were being held in libya. colonel gaddafi, did any british people come to see you? >> it took about one year, one and a half before and had a visit from them. >> these british people, where they men, women? what age were they? >> as far as i can remember, they were led by a lady and she was accompanied by a man in his 50's. there were two members from the british intelligence services that came to see me. >> did you tell them that you were being tortured? >> the room was monitored.

they eavesdrop on our conversation. however, i gave them the message that i was being tortured. they understood the message that i was given to them. i was mistreated. i was psychology tortured. they gave me size that they got the message. >> were you physically tortured? -- they gave me signs that they got the message. >> what i beheld was not fit for a human being. for endear and a half, i could not see the sun. -- for a year and a half, i could not see the sun. i could not bathe. my wife was suffering as well. she is still suffering. >> have the british police been to talk to you since your

country was limited? >> no, i have not met any police personnel. >> would you be willing to come to the u.k. to give evidence? >> this matter is in the hands of my legal team. we are discussing it. with regard to the location, i am leaving this in the hands of my legal team. >> after what happened to you, how do you feel about britain? >> first of all, with regards to the british people, i have an eel feeling towards the british people. -- ill feeling toward those british people. also against those who contributed towards my suffering and this act. the years of suffering and the treatment of my wife that was pregnant at the time. those people who harm to me also harmed their peoples.

i hope that relations between our two countries will improve and be consolidated and will be based on mutual interest and trust. all i hope for is that justice can take its course. >> thank time to talk to us. and these are murky waters, on to say? >> they are indeed. what this case highlights is the danger to britain, to his reputation internationally. the libyan militants, and one stage in the 90's, they were used by the u.s. to try to kill gaddafi. the u.k. helped gaddafi to get his hands on abdel hakim belhadj.

>> these were from documents that were found in libya. "now, we have another situation. -- >> now, we have another situation. if there is another change in direction, the u.k. could be held responsible. >> how embarrassing do you think these are? >> this brings into sharp focus the ambiguous and hypocritical relationship that britain had with libya. meanwhile, the military intervention in libya was wrapped in populist pr. what we said we were going there for humanitarian reasons and for the promotion of human rights. that is very cynical. >> this is highly embarrassing. >> if these allegations are true, this is worse than that. this is dreadful.

it illustrates that our whole policy is chaotic after 20 years. >> earlier, you said it was right that every nation had secret services, special forces, and everything was not disclosed on television. this is what happens. >> absolutely right. if you have a secret service, you have to watch them very closely. the same with special forces. the rules need to be very clear. >> if a western approve a version of democracy does not take place in libya, by which i mean a giant corporation exporting oil and gas, i am absolutely sure that covert military operations will resume in libya and they will be selecting another government. for the moment, they seem quite happy with the national transitional council.

as we have seen with gaddafi, relationships can change very quickly. >> i disagree with this. i think the problem with british politics has been short term, fought less, and it has crossed ethical lines. -- thought less and it has crossed ethical lines. >> we heard the british secretary say, pack your suitcases. we have heard the same from the french foreign minister. they made it clear that they were willing to reward the western governments involved in the military conflict. the oil and gas argument is perfectly viable. >> opposing things don't work out for whatever reason. then, it would be absolutely right, that this country pursues its own vital interests. >> we have to respect international law and we should not be torturing people.

>> thank you very much. thank you. >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/news. >> funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard to understand the industry you operate in. working to nurture new ventures and help provide capital for a key strategic decisions. we offer expertise and tailor solutions in a wide range of industries. what can we do for you?